


Wishes (Better Left Ungranted)

by wakandan_wardog



Series: Wardog's Tony Stark Bingo 2018 [1]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Birthday, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Minor Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-05-15 23:31:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14800035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wakandan_wardog/pseuds/wakandan_wardog
Summary: Tony makes a few wishes, but some are better left ungranted.An (IronStrange) fill for my Tony Stark Bingo 2018 challenge.Square S5: “Wish”





	Wishes (Better Left Ungranted)

Tony Stark is four years old when he learns the meaning of the phrase ‘be careful what you wish for’. Tony is four, and has just made his first circuit board, in an attempt to gain his father’s attention. He has it, now, and regrets it immensely. His father flies into a rage, demanding that he do better, that he be better. Howard grabs him by the arm, drags him close, hisses that Tony should show improvement on the next one because if they’re going to announce that he’s a genius or a prodigy he sure as hell better do something worthy of the name. Demanding that he stop crying because _Stark men are made of iron_. 

*

Tony Stark is six years old, and once he wishes that his father would ignore him after all, because that is far less painful than this. Ignoring would be paying him no notice, would be far better than demanding Tony ‘help him’ in the shop, that Tony take things even when they’re hot, that Tony drink the bitter burn of whiskey and act like a man. 

_Stark men are made of iron._

_I wish that wasn’t true._

*

At the age of fourteen Tony meets Rhodey at college. His new roommate is an ROTC boy and a bit of a rocket scientist himself, though he doesn’t appreciate it when Tony offers to build bombs in their dorm to prove he is who he says he is. Tony makes his first friend he’s ever had and when Rhodey carries him across campus because he’s tired or bails him out of a party before he gets too drunk, he thinks this is what he’s been missing his whole life. 

Drifting off with water and headache meds within reach, under Rhodey’s watchful eye, Tony smiles and thinks to himself, _‘I wish I’d met you sooner.’_ Tony is eighteen and an orphan, his parents gone. All he really wants is to have Jarvis back, wishes that Jarvis were still here. Forever, for a day, for an hour. He just wants more time with the only person who ever felt like family. _‘I wish you hadn’t left me.’_

*

Tony Stark is thirty seven, captive in Afghanistan, with a car battery connected to the magnet in his chest and a fellow scientist as his cellmate. He thinks of Pepper and Rhodey back home, but when Yinsen asks if he has family, he says no. If no one here knows, he's not going to tell them. Thinks that maybe it would be better if he just, gave up after all... Wishes he had ridden with Rhodey in the "hum-drum-vee" rather than by himself. "We're going to get out of here, Yinsen, and then you're going to see your family again." 

*

At the age of thirty eight, Tony looks up into the face of the man he loved like an uncle, and watches as only hatred and disdain are displayed there. Obadiah tears the arc reactor out of his chest, pats him on the shoulder, and smiles. _‘A new generation of weapons, with this at its heart. It’ll put the balance of power back in our hands, Tony, the right hands… Oh, but I wish you could see my prototype.’_

_‘I don’t want to do this.’_ Tony thinks as he fights the only father figure he’s had, since the loss of Jarvis. Dear Uncle Obie, who sold him to terrorists and ripped his heart out of his chest. _‘Please don’t make me do this.’_

“Pepper, push the button!” Tony shouts as he tears at the controls for Stane’s suit, slows the Iron Monger down to a crawl. 

“You told me not to!” 

“Forget what I said!” Tony snaps. “PUSH IT!” 

But for Pepper, to save Pepper, Tony will sacrifice himself and Obie, and the armor… _‘Sorry, Pepper, I wish it didn’t have to be this way…’_

*

Tony Stark is turning forty eight, when he rolls over in the dead of night and into welcoming arms. Knowing he went to sleep alone, he stirs, blinking sleep-sticky eyes at the lean torso now under his cheek. He’s fairly certain he makes a bewildered noise, lifting one hand to rub at his eyes and tiling his chin upward. He’s awake now, heartrate racing from the nightmare that slowly dissolves, but the company is so unexpected he almost wonders if he’s dreaming instead. 

Stephen Strange looks far from perfect, shirtless with his hair rumpled and one eye barely open as he considers Tony for several heartbeats. Eventually he smiles, tightening his grip around the billionaire’s torso and drawing Tony more firmly into his chest. When the shorter male is settled more firmly against him he leans forward, brushing a kiss to his lover’s forehead. 

“Happy Birthday.” 

“Stephen?” Tony finally finds his voice, pleased and baffled in turn. “ ‘sat really you? Thought you were in Nepal, tracking and fighting Mordo?” 

“I wanted to be the first to wish you a Happy Birthday.” Stephen shrugs one hand lifting to rake gently though Tony’s bed-tousled curls. “Go to sleep, Tony, I’ll still be here in the morning.” 

Tony doesn’t say anything, just drapes an arm over the Sorcerer’s waist with a content sigh. It’s already the best birthday he can remember. He didn’t even have to wish for it. 

*

Tony Stark wakes up in bed mid-morning on his forty-eighth birthday, alone but well rested. Disappointing, by all counts, as he’s fairly certain his stunning Sorcerer boyfriend woke him by portaling into bed in the dead of night. Still, the bed looks relatively neat, and there’s no suspicious Cloak hovering nearby that indicates the wizard actually is in residence. 

“Well, that’s disappointing.” Tony mumbles to himself. Before he can drag himself upright and wonder if he dreamt the whole thing, Stephen Strange steps into the room with a tray of breakfast food and a suspiciously red-and-gold cupcake with a candle atop it. 

“Oh my god, you didn’t.” Tony mumbles, flailing as he sits up and stares at the tray in his boyfriend’s hands. 

“It’s devil’s food cake and it’s your colors.” Stephen retorts with a smirk, setting the tray on Tony’s lap and perching next to him. “Of course I did.” 

Tony stares at the pancakes and eggs, the coffee and orange juice, the Iron Man colored cupcake. Then he looks at his boyfriend, and realizes that his boyfriend wearing a _Kiss Me I’m Iron Man_ tee. Maybe he feels like tearing up, just a little. “Stephen.” 

“None of that.” Stephen chides idly, waving a hand. A little flame bursts into existence on the candle wick, crackling merrily. 

“I thought you didn’t do parlor tricks.” Tony chides. 

“It’s a special occasion.” Stephen argues, his blue eyes gentle and fond. “Make a wish.” 

Tony laughs, at the magic trick and the cupcake in his Super Hero colors and the wonder of a boyfriend who brings him breakfast in bed while wearing his clothes. “What the hell would I wish for? I’ve got you.” 

“That you do…” Stephen hums, leaning forward until their foreheads brush, his eyes gone soft and half-lidded. “Then what do you wish of me?” 

Tony thinks for a moment, then leans forward, blowing out the candle with a smirk. He won’t tell Stephen just yet, but he’s hoping next year’s birthday goes just like this.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Birthday Tony!!
> 
>  
> 
> ~~I have never done anything like this before, so, yay?~~


End file.
